Obituary: Cross, Jennie Mary
Age 88
Jennie was born on March 22, 1925 to Frank and Agatha Sgotti.
Jennie lived in Spokane all her life.
Growing up she attended Sheridan Elementary, Libby Jr. High and then graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1942.
Jennie always talked about growing up in an Italian family and an Italian neighborhood.
She had so many stories of growing up we never got tired of hearing them, and you could not help but laugh.
Jennie started working at the age of 16 for the Spokane Public Library.
She worked in numerous branches over the years, and eventually retired in 1978 while working at the main branch in downtown Spokane.
It was in 1955 that Jennie met the man she would spend 55 years of marriage with, Jerry Cross.
Their first date was going to see Liberace at a concert in Spokane.
After five months of dating they were married at St. Ann’s Catholic Church.
Their life together was filled with raising a family, and going on occasional trips; Ma never was a big traveler.
They just loved being home and spending time with family.
Jennie’s great love was her yard and flowers.
She would have people stop by as they walked past her home and compliment her on how beautiful her yard was.
She could spend hours and days working in her yard to make it beautiful.
There is so much to say about Jennie.
Simply put, she touched the life of everyone she knew.
Jennie lost her husband Jerry in 2010.
There was never a day she did not miss him.
She is survived by her two children, Julie (Patrick) Betterton and Jeff (Lynn) Cross.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Alex (Amber) Cross, Brynne (Paul) Schmaltz, Tyler (Darci) Gates, and Carson Betterton; great-grandchildren, Carter Cross, Evan Schmaltz, Hannah Schmaltz, Jensen Gates and Karly Gates.
A visitation will be held at Hazen & Jaeger Valley, 1306 N. Pines Rd., Spokane Valley, WA on Friday, November 1, 2013 from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. Jennie’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. at the Colonial Chapel, Hazen & Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.
Interment at Pines Cemetery, Spokane Valley, WA.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Valley General Hospital for the loving care that was given to Jennie over the past week.
Thank you so much for the love you showed Jennie.